Best tripod for entry bird photography?

[francongphotography]

Crap..now I want the 498RC2 with the 055xprob..looks like a lot of savings to do in the coming new year..Gotta save up for the best** i guess.

Thanks for all your help/suggestions!

[Dave Throgmartin]

How much safety factor do you usually recommend versus manufacturers specifications for how much weight a tripod or monopod can handle? 2X? 3X?

Thanks
Dave

[HDNitehawk]

How much safety factor do you usually recommend versus manufacturers specifications for how much weight a tripod or monopod can handle? 2X? 3X?

Thanks
Dave

You know it is not just safety, it is stability as well. At 2x with a telephoto lens on my Gitzo 2550XQR that is rated at 11 pounds I still get a bit of creep when setting it. If you tap the lens you might get some vibration, of course I use it at odd angles for macro and it is not a ballhead.
I have a cheaper tripod and head that is rated about 2x and it performs about the same. When I am using it with a shutter release for macro, I even whatch how I hold the cord of the release. I have found that even the movement of the cord can cause vibration and you get some blurr.

The higher rating you get the less problem you should have with vibration and movement. You said you wanted something light to hike with, so it may be a compromise for you. Going 3X or more is adding weight usually. If I had to carry something for hours on end I would tend to go for a smaller tripod and just be aware of its frailty.

Personally I wouldn't go less than 2x the weight I intend to hold. At 2x I would be aware of any vibration and movement I am getting so I can compensate.

[Dave Throgmartin]

I just picked up the 055XPROB and 498RC2 head. The set is very nice and I doubt you'll be disappointed. The guy at the link did a really nice writeup:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...d.php?t=529785

Dave

Crap..now I want the 498RC2 with the 055xprob..looks like a lot of savings to do in the coming new year..Gotta save up for the best** i guess.

Thanks for all your help/suggestions!

[francongphotography]

Yup, definitely gonna pick that combination up. But I gotta save up first, for some time :P

Franco

[Scott Stephen]

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[Scott Stephen]

I'm looking for a tripod that's robust enough to support my 550D w/ battery grip with a 400mm F/5.6 lens. Can someone recommend a good one for me that's around $150 but sturdy enough to be used on the field, and light enough to carry for hours?

Many thanks!

Franco

I've done some research on my own, but not sure which one to pick :S
The following tripods seem pretty good for the price..
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/New-Camera-Pr...t_12448wt_1163
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Pro-Carbon-Fi...ht_2643wt_1163

Have you considered entry-level birds, such as chickens or parakeets?